Apparatus for stamping cigars



( Model.)

0 T STBTSON APPARATUS FOR STAMPING CIGARS;

NrTE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES-T. STETSON, OF WEST HANOVER, ASSIGNOR TO JOSEPH W. STRIEDER, OFBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

APPARATUS FOR STAMPING CIGARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 536,843, dated April 2,1895.

Application filed November 19, 1894. Serial No. 529,263- '(No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES T. STETs'oN, of West Hanover, county ofPlymouth, State of Massachusetts, have invented an I rnprovement inApparatusfor Stamping Cigars, of which the following description, inconnection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, likeletters and figures on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to machines for stamping or brandinga name orbrand upon cigars, and has for its object the production of a slmple,compact and efficientmachine for performing such work in an expeditiousand satisfactory manner.

In accordance therewith my invention consists, in a machine for stampingcigars, of a stamp, yielding carriers adjacent the ends thereof andnormally elevated, to receive a cigar, a plunger to press the cigaragainst the stamp, ejectors to lift the stamped cigar up from and out ofthe carriers after the latter separate it from the stamp, and means toreciprocate the plunger and to raise the ejectors to contact with thecigar as the plunger is raised, substantially as will be described.

Other features of my invention will be hereinafter described andparticularly pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 is a front elevation, partly broken out, and with the shield orapron removed, of an apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is asection thereof on the line :13. Fig. 3 is a perspectivedetail view ofthe stamp yielding carriers and adjacent parts; and Fig. 4 is a detailin elevation of one of the cams and its co-operating link.

The apparatus is herein shown as comprising side frames A of suitableshape to support the operative parts, mounted on a base B and connectedby transverse ties 2, 3, and a bed plate A attached, as by screws 4, toears or lugs upon the inner sides of the frames.

The main shaft a, supported in suitable bearings in and extended beyondthe frame, has fast thereon a gear a in engagement with a driving gear amounted on a stud a provided with a suitable crank a. See Figs. 1 and 2.Like cams or eccentrics a are secured to the projecting ends of theshaft a, operatively connected by suitable links a to a reciprocatingcross head I) guided in slots A in uprights A of the frame, the linksbeing pivotally attached at b to the cross head, which is shown in thedrawings as at the upper'extremity of its movement.

Through the cross head and boss b a shank b is extended, threaded at itsupper end to receive a nut b and surrounded by a spring 3 between saidnut and boss, the tension of the spring being regulated by the nut b.

A plunger 0,. preferably concaved at its under side, is pivoted at c tothe depending end of the shank b and adjusted about said pivot by setscrews 0 extended through threaded bearings, as h on the cross head,whereby the plunger 0 may be tipped about its pivot or regulated as toits distance below the cross head b. V

Rotation of the shaft a will reciprocate the pluugerc toward and fromthe bed A beneath it.and which is longitudinally slotted at d, see Fig.l, for a purpose to be described, and provided with holes to receivelugs or pins (1 on the under side of a stamp holder d shown only inFigs. 1 and 3, having-one or more perforations 01 above the slot 01 inthe bed.

Preferably the stamp-holder has undercut transverse grooves d at itsends to receive and hold the stamp e, which may be an electrotype havingthe desired stamp or brand upon its upper side, preferably in relief.

A guard, shown as a concave metal plate e,

is secured to the underside of the bed, to condense the heat of a gas orother flame, which may be supplied by a suitable burner f, shown indotted lines Fig. 1. a

At each end of the stamp-holder I have provided rigid concave rests g tofirmly position the cigar while being stamped or branded, and preferablywithin said rests I have located yielding carriers 9', shown assubstantially Y- shaped, the depending shanks 9 thereof passing looselythrough holes in the bed A and secured to the ends of springs .9, hereinshown as bent and secured to the cross tie 3 by suitable screws 6. Thecarriers are thus free to yield to pressure, the springs s normallymaintaining them elevated somewhat above the concavities in the fixedrests g.

A feed table 0 is secured to the frame at the rear of the path of thecross head, and having a slight incline, end gages C being adjustablysecured to the table by suitable set screws 0 The front edge of thetable is a little higher than the tops of the yielding carriers g whenin normal position, in order that acigar when unobstructed will rollfrom the table into said carriers above the stamp and between it and theplunger.

I have provided the shaft a with step cams It, held in place by setscrews 7L2 extended through their hubs it, said cams at certain timeslifting the ejectors, shown as blocks having outwardlyinclined upperfaces 70' and straight backs, and located just outside of the rests g,the blocks being provided with depending shanks 7c extended through thebed A and in the paths of the lifting cams h.

In the relative position of parts shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the carriersgare ready to receive a cigar, as shown by dotted lines Fig. 3, androtation of the shaft a in the direction of arrow 20, Fig. 2, will bringthe plunger 0 down upon the top of the cigar, forcing the latter and thecarriers down until the cigar is pressed firmly upon the heated stamp c,it being positioned at such time by the rests As soon as the continuedrotation of the shaft raises plunger 0, the springs s will cause thecarriers g to lift the cigar quickly from the stamp, to prevent burning,and the cams h elevate the ejectors, until the inclined faces 70' raiseand eject the cigar from the carriers and over a shield or apron S,shown only in section in Fig. 2, secured to flanges A of the frame. Whenthe ejectors are in the dotted line position Fig. 2, they act also asd-etents, their straight backs projecting above the front edge of thetable 0 to prevent the next cigar thereon from rolling into the carriersg. As the cams it continue to rotate the shanks k of the ejectorssuddenly drop from the high to the low path of the cams, and the endmostcigar on the table is allowed to roll into the carriers, the immediatedescent of the plunger 0 preventing the next cigar from lnterfering. Itwill thus be seen that the ejectors also act as let-offs, being aided inthis latter function by the plunger. The heat of the flame from theburner fpassing through the slot 01, and the holes (1 in thestamp-holder heats the stamp e.

If the cigar is small the plunger 0 is adj usted farther from the crosshead than were it large, the degree of pressure upon the cigar beingthus regulated, and if the diameter of the cigar varies considerablytoward the opposite ends the unequal adjustment of the set screws 0maintains the plunger at the proper angle.

I claim- 1. In a cigar stamping machine, the followinginstrumentalities, viz;-a stamp, yielding carriers adjacent the endsthereof and normally elevated, to receive the cigar, a plunger to pressthe cigar against the stamp, ejectors to lift the stamped cigar up fromand out of the carriers after the latter separate it from the stamp, andmeans to reciprocate the plunger and to raise the ejectors to contactwith the cigars as the plunger is raised, substantially as described.

2. In a cigar stamping machine, the following instrumentalities, viz;astamp, fixed rests adjacent thereto to accurately position the cigarwhile being stamped, yielding carriers to receive the cigar and toautomatically separate it from the stamp, a reciprocating plunger topress the cigar against the stamp, an independent ejecting device toliftand remove the stamped cigar, positively from the carrier and mechanismto operate the plunger and the ejecting device, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a cigar stamping machine, a stamp, means to heat it, yieldingcarriers adjacent to the stamp to receive the cigar, a feed table at therear of the carriers, combined with a reciprocating plunger to press thecigar againstthe stamp, ejectors having a rising and falling movement toeject the stamped cigar from the carriers and to simultaneously act as adetent for the next cigar on the table, and mechanism to reciprocate theplunger and operate the ejectors, substantially as described.

t. In a cigar stamping machine, a stamp, fixed rests to position thecigar while being stamped, yielding carriers adjacent thereto to receivethe cigar and to lift it from the stamp, and a plunger to depress thecarriers and force the cigar into the rests and against the stamp,combined with rising and falling ejectors having outwardly inclinedupper faces to act on the projecting ends of the stamped cigar beyondthe carriers and remove it therefrom, a main shaft, and connectionsbetween it and the plunger and the ejectors, to operate, substantiallyasdescribed.

5. In a cigar stamping machine, a stamp, a co-operating plunger to pressthe cigar against it, yielding carriers to receive the cigar to bestamped, a feed table at the rear of the carriers, combined withejectors and let-offs to remove the stamped cigar from the carriers andthereafter to permit an unstamped cigar to pass to the carriers, andactuating mechanism for the plunger and ejectors, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES 'l. STE'ISON.

Witnesses:

JOHN G. EDWARDS, THOMAS J. DRUMMOND.

IIO

